Three Months to a Lifetime
by jadedandboring
Summary: How the events of one summer can lead to a lifetime of love, laughter, and happiness.
1. Chapter 1

When I was five, a new family moved into the house next door: Dad, Mom, two brothers. One of the boys was my age, and I spent most of the summer playing with him, teaching him the ropes of the neighborhood: which games we played and where the boundaries were for them, where most of us kids were allowed to go (usually within calling distance of our mothers), and where the best hiding spots were for when we played Release, our own version of hide and seek.

I've long since forgotten the rules to Release, but I haven't forgotten the feel of that small neighborhood, where parents gathered on front porches as we played into the twilight. As long as we stayed within sight of whoever's porch the parents happened to be congregated on, we could make daisy chains and catch fireflies until, one by one, our families headed toward home to take baths and rest before another day of play.

That boy and I eventually grew up, and we're still close friends to this day. But this isn't a story about him. It's one about his brother, who was a sullen eleven year old the summer his family moved in next door to mine.

We tried so hard to show off for him that summer, Jasper and me. Edward wasn't impressed. At eleven, he felt he was 'too old' to play with us, and spent most of his time at the community pool, ogling Jessica Stanley who'd gone away to summer camp and come back a _very_ developed young lady.

It didn't matter to me, but it hurt Jasper's feelings. All he wanted was to be accepted by his big brother, but Edward was too cool for us. After all, he was starting at the middle school while we were lowly first graders.

Jasper eventually caught his brother's attention sometime around ten years old. But it wasn't until the summer I turned eighteen that _I_ finally caught Edward's attention.

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><p><strong>Just when I said I was done writing . . .<strong>

**Thank you to the ladies who live in my doc.**

**Shortish updates, probably once a day, until it's done.**

**Any guesses as to the narrator? You'll definitely get an answer. Just not tomorrow. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Skunk, whatcha up to?" Edward ruffled my hair as he slid past where I stood in his kitchen.

"Don't _touch_ my hair," I snapped. "I spent two hours curling it for tonight."

He held up his hands in mock horror and grinned at me. "Wouldn't want to mess up your prom hair. God forbid."

I sighed and shook my head. "It's ridiculous, the lengths we women go to, to catch a guy's attention. Do women work this hard in college?"

Edward was a Senior at the University of Delaware, home for summer break. He took a bite of a pear and tilted his head slightly to the side. "When I first got there, yeah, most of them did. Now that the self imposed pressure is off, they really don't. Besides, I know most of my brothers are far more impressed with the girls who _don't_ try so hard. Don't get me wrong, Newton still loves that Jessica apparently applies her makeup with a shovel, but no, most guys - at least the ones I know - aren't into that."

"So why do high school guys think all of this," I gestured to my hair and dress, "is important?"

"They're superficial assholes?" Edward shrugged. "I wish I could give you a better answer, but it's the truth. Speaking of superficial assholes, where's Jasper?"

"He went to pick Alice and Emmett up. Your mom wants us to take pictures here. I don't even know why I agreed to go," I sighed.

"Because you're dating a football player, and you're like, the best cheerleader ever?" His sarcastic falsetto was perfect, and I snorted.

"Shut up." I swatted his arm as he ran past me, knocking a glass of soda to the floor and splashing the hem of my dress in the process.

"Fantastic! Now I have an excuse not to go!" I bounced excitedly.

"If you don't want to go, don't go. I'm sure Emmett will understand."

"It's not that I don't _want _to go, Tal. I just feel like I . . . I'm wasting my time. It's a high school dance, for crying out loud, and I genuinely feel pity for the people who think this is the greatest time of their lives. High school is not everything."

"No, it's not," he conceded. He grabbed a towel and headed out the back door toward the pool. "But promise me you'll try to have fun tonight. You only get one Senior prom, even if you're smart enough to realize it's just a dance."

Twenty minutes later, Jasper's mother, Esme, was snapping a ridiculous amount of photos. Edward's mother was standing next to her and was quite possibly more annoying than her counterpart.

"Elizabeth, I don't understand why you have to have a million pictures of me posed with Jasper," I huffed. "It's not like you don't see us every other Wednesday and at least two major holidays a year."

"Shush, you," Elizabeth smiled. "Jasper's as good as my own. And don't you forget that I kissed more than my fair share of your scraped knees, missy."

"Let her have her fun. I didn't go to any high school dances," Edward said, leaning over the fence and smirking at me. "She has to torture _someone_."

"You broke your mama's fragile little heart," Elizabeth teased, laying a hand over her chest.

"Don't see why it has to be me," Jasper muttered.

"Last one." I stared pointedly at Esme and Elizabeth. "I'm practically melting out here."

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><p><strong>So. Any better ideas about the narrator?<strong>

**And what is up with those crazy nicknames for each other?**


	3. Chapter 3

Prom was one of the more interesting nights of my life to that point.

I learned Alice could give a killer blow job - _thank you for the exceptionally loud play-by-play in the back of the limo, Jasper. _I learned Lauren Mallory couldn't hold her liquor_ - _thank you for the stunning display of digestive pyrotechnics, Lo. __And I learned my boyfriend was more interested in dick than I was__ - _thanks to Emmett and Tyler Crowley for the awkward visual in the Ladies' _restroom.____

Because of the horror I experienced at the dance, and because I hadn't felt like signing up to go to the always rumored lame After Prom, the limo driver dropped my sad, lonely self off at home, then took Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Tyler - who'd pawned his date, the aforementioned unable-to-hold-her-liquor Lauren Mallory, off on Katie Marshall and Eric Yorkie, and was currently _pawing Emmett - _back to the high school's gym for the party that ran until seven in the morning.

I turned around after watching the limo disappear around the corner just in time to see Edward wave to Mike Newton and stumble up his driveway "Skunk!" he hollered. "Whatcha doin' home? Aren't you supposed to be at 'Enchantment Under the Sea' or somethin'?"

"Shh!" I hissed. "Do you want to wake the parentals? And dude, this is not _Back to the Future,_ just an FYI."

He snorted, then grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to his backyard where he forced me down on a lounge chair and pried my shoes off. After he rolled his pant legs up and I hiked my dress up above my knees, we sat with our feet dangling in the pool. "Didn't answer me yet," he pointed out.

I sighed and shrugged, not entirely sure how to answer that question. "Why do people think prom is some big to-do?"

Edward snorted. "I have no idea. Didn't go to dances in high school. I had visions of the future." He threw his arms wide, knocking me on the head in the process.

"Ow," I growled. "That hurt, Tal." I rubbed my temple for a brief second before he pulled my hand away and kissed my head. I hoped the cloudy night hid the blush that immediately flushed my cheeks. "I'm home because I didn't sign up for After Prom. Anyway, it's not like they're going to miss me."

"I'm sure Emmett does."

It was my turn to snort. "Emmett is most definitely not missing me at this moment."

"Who doesn't like having a pretty girl to sneak under the bleachers with?"

"A guy who has a pretty boy to sneak under the bleachers with," I deadpanned.

"What the actual fuck?" Edward gasped and I giggled uncontrollably. "You . . . Emmett is . . . Emmett is _gay?" _he sputtered.

"Apparently he's been harboring a crush on Tyler Crowley for years. I caught them in the Ladies' tonight. Emmett was on his knees. I mean, to be honest, I should have known," I reflected. Eyes still wide, Edward gestured for me to continue. "He always looked absolutely disgusted after he fingered me."

"Skunk, you're 17. I should not have that image in my head," Edward slurred, collapsing back onto the pool deck. "That's like knowing Jasper is having sex with Little Bit."

"Jasper _is _having sex with Little Bit," I pointed out.

"Ew, ew, ew. Shut up, Rosalie." He threw an arm over his eyes.

For the next few moments, the only sound was nature around us, the occasional splash as one of us kicked our feet in the pool, and Edward's quiet groans and mutterings about picturing his brother having sex. "Why are you home so early, Tal?"

"Midnight is not early," he said, propping himself up on his elbows. "Well," he amended, "maybe it could be considered early morning."

I waved a hand in the air. "Technicality."

"I'm a lil drunk, Skunk. Hey, that rhymed! I'm a poet and didn't even know it!" Edward could barely breathe, he was laughing so hard. "Stop me any time, Rose."

"Noooo. Not you! I'm a little tipsy."

"Shouldn't have had the punch," he told me in a sing-song voice. "You know my roommate Garrett?" I nodded. "His boyfriend kissed me tonight." When I gasped, Edward chuckled and continued. "I had to leave because it was kind of awkward, but I don't know that I completely hated it."

I made a mock gagging sound. "That's like me knowing Jasper is having sex with Alice, Tal."

He blinked at me for a second and then grinned crookedly at me. "Peter sure knew what he was doing with his tongue. I'm just sayin'.

"C'mon Skunk. Let's go watch a movie or something. I'll be your After Prom party." Edward pulled his feet out of the pool then helped me up. We made our way quietly into the house and down to the basement where I started cursing because I didn't have a change of clothes with me.

He disappeared upstairs for a few minutes and came back with a pair of track shorts, a tank top, and one of his UD hoodies. I took the clothes gratefully and went into the powder room. When I emerged five minutes later, he was sprawled out on one of the couches with the remote for their ridiculous 600 disc DVD changer on his stomach. "Whatcha wanna watch, Skunk?"

"Hmm. _10 Things I Hate About You,_" I said. "Seems appropriate to watch a high school movie on the night of my prom, doesn't it?"

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><p><strong>So here's the deal. I <em>was<em> going to hold this until tomorrow, but if you're here from LyricalKris, you know I posted it today. She inadvertently gave my narrator away in her latest _Tomorrow is Another Day_ update.**

**How many of you are still with me?**


	4. Chapter 4

The unmistakeable sound of Esme's quiet laughter woke me, but not enough to open my eyes. "Don't worry, Mari. She's here. I'll send you a photo . . . Okay . . . The minute she wakes, I'll send her home . . . You, too."

Even when her her cell phone flashed brightly, I kept my eyes shut. I was warm. Comfortable. I'd fallen asleep in this basement before, but I couldn't remember it being so cozy. Like most basements - even finished ones - it was cooler than the rest of the house, and sometimes a little damp.

Then I shifted, trying to make whatever was tickling my waist go away, and the couch shifted behind me and groaned. My eyes snapped open. "What the . . ."

"Good morning, Rosalie," Esme trilled. "I trust you slept well?" She was still smirking when I sat up and realized Edward and I were tangled up under a blanket, curled around one another on the larger of the two sofas. It was his hand that had been tickling me. That same hand reached up to grab my hip and prevent me from shifting backward as I stretched. "I wouldn't do that just yet, Skunk," he said, voice thick with sleep.

"What? Oh hell. Tal, that's disgusting."

"Rose, your mother called. Apparently you never came home last night. She's quite worried," Esme said. "She asked for you to be sent home as soon as you were awake."

I slowly stood up, gathered my dress and shoes, and padded toward the steps.

"Hey, Edward," I said, trying not to sound as uncertain as I felt. "Thanks. You know, for being my After Prom."

"Oh pobem," he mumbled, face buried in a pillow.

"What?"

"I said, no problem. Later, Rose."

My mother's eyebrows were raised when I walked through the back door, and she asked why I'd been in the basement with Edward. I told her the truth: we'd gotten home around the same time, and he'd invited me to watch a movie. She casually showed me the picture Esme had sent her, of Edward and me curled up together under a blanket and asked what _that _was about, but I couldn't answer_._

I was confused myself.

It was a little weird to have spent so much time with Edward. The guy was like an older brother to me and had obviously been around when I was playing with Jasper when we were little. Then, as we grew older, he was around sporadically when he was home from college, teasing Jasper and me while we did our homework in the Cullens' kitchen or watched movies in the basement.

But it wasn't as though I was uncomfortable around him. If I was being totally honest, I was more at ease around him than I was around Emmett, and that spoke volumes. I tried to tell myself it was a familiarity thing, that he'd always just . . . been there.

The guy had known me since I was five, for crying out loud. Friendships naturally grew and changed, right? So why did spending a little extra time with him - when his brother wasn't around - feel so much different than it had before?

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><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella [who thinks LK &amp; I are incredibly strange].<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

After prom, and the resulting movie/waking up in each others' arms, I became more aware of Edward. Unlike the the previous summers when he was off from school, he stuck close to home. I asked Jasper what that was all about, but he wasn't sure.

We were lounging around the pool, trying to eat lunch, one day when Edward came home early from work. Well, _I_ was lounging and attempting to eat. Jasper and Alice were too busy sucking face to notice anything going on around them.

"Brother mine!" Edward boomed, scaring me and causing Alice to jump out of Jasper's lap. "I know your girl likes your tongue, but we," he gestured between the two of us, "are not such big fans. Keep it in your own mouth, please. At least until we're finished eating." He tossed a Snickers to me and winked. "Then, if you could rein it in until we wait the requisite thirty minutes before we can go hide in the pool, I'm sure we'd both appreciate it."

"Can it, asshole," Jasper snapped, grabbing the candy bar out of my hands. "What?" he shrugged. "I need the calories."

"He's been working very hard," Alice giggled.

I rolled my eyes at her, got out of the chair I had been sitting in, and dove in to the pool, splashing Edward in the process. When I surfaced, I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face and Jasper's guffawing. Edward's polo shirt had a decent amount of water on it, and I gasped quietly when I caught a flash of his washboard stomach as he reached behind his head to pull the shirt off.

Squeezing my eyes shut out of pure embarrassment, I heard Alice's tinkling laugh at what must have been a ridiculous look on my face. Thankfully my best friend was as oblivious as ever. "Rose, I think you need more sunscreen," he offered. "Your entire body is red."

"Mmhm. Thanks, Jasper," I sputtered as Edward slowly sank into the pool next to me.

"So," he said conversationally, swimming a wide, lazy circle around me. "Why'd ya splash me, Skunk?"

"It was an accident," I muttered.

"'An accident,' she says." He gestured to Alice. "Did that look like 'an accident' to you, Little Bit?"

"It did to me," Alice shrugged. "I mean, it's not like she'd do it to get you back for scaring her with your incredibly loud entrance."

Edward smiled, ducked his head under the water, and shook his hair in my general direction. "Naturally, she wouldn't do that."

"Of course I did it on purpose," I said confidently. "Why wouldn't I want to bother Mr. BMOC who just happens to be gracing us with his presence this summer? Why is that, anyway?" I swam to the side of the pool and rested my head on my hands.

He flicked water at me and shook his head again. "Not something I want to talk about right now."

For a brief second, our eyes connected and he looked as though he _did_ want to tell me the reason he was sticking close to home, but Jasper threw Alice into the pool and the moment vanished.

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><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**Any theories?  
><strong>


	6. Chapter 6

"Please explain your ridiculous names for each other. I'm so confused," Alice whined one day while she was waiting for Jasper to get home.

Automatically irritated with anything Alice said lately, I had to take a deep breath and calm myself down. It's not as though I didn't like Alice. I did. We were honestly good friends, almost as close as Jasper and me. It was just that since she and Jasper had started dating, I almost never saw him without her attached to his hip. It was getting old - and fast - but it wasn't like I was going to tell either of them.

"It's nothing, Alice," I said. "It's actually kind of stupid." I didn't know if this was something I was willing to share outside of our family. Only our parents (Elizabeth included) and Jasper knew the joke behind what we called each other.

"It is something," she insisted. "I've never heard 'Tal' as any kind of version of nick name for Edward. Maybe 'Teddy,' but certainly not 'Tal.'"

I huffed. "It's really not a big deal. The original Neanderthal man was found in the Neandertal valley in Germany. You know how Edward kind of has that prominent brow line?" I waited for her to nod. "I, um, got mad at him when I was seven, and I had just read about that. I started calling him Tal because of that."

Alice was clearly confused. "How long did it take him to get it? And that still doesn't explain why he calls you Skunk."

"Haven't you ever seen _Bambi_?"

I could see the proverbial light bulb go off over Alice's head. "Oh, yeah! That explains it. Kind of. But don't you think it's kind of mean?"

I shrugged. "It's our thing," I said with a small smile. "Nicknames and insults."

I calmly flipped through a magazine until Jasper emerged from his house, head still wet from the shower he'd grabbed. He picked Alice up and twirled her around the yard and I groaned. My best friend couldn't even say hello to me before sticking his tongue down his girlfriend's throat. That wasn't fair. "Hello to you, too, Jasper," I groused as I stalked by the happy couple.

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><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella, who has informed me Tal is a name in Hebrew. It means 'a drop of dew.' I had no idea. I thought I was being clever when I dreamed it up.<br>**


	7. Chapter 7

"I just don't understand what's the matter with them."

It was a slow day at the restaurant where I worked, so I'd been walking home early when Edward called my name over the fence of the public swimming pool where he was a lifeguard.

"Why, don't you know? They're twitterpated," Edward said, smirking at me. He looked for all the world like I should know exactly what he was talking about. It took me a moment, but then I got it.

I grinned. "Twitterpated?"

"Oh yes. Nearly everybody gets twitterpated in the summer," he quoted, editing slightly. "For example: You're walking along, minding your own business. You're looking neither to the left, nor to the right, when all of a sudden you run smack into a pretty face. Woo-woo! You begin to get weak in the knees. Your head's in a whirl. And then feel light as feather, and before you know it, you're walking on air. And then you know what? You're knocked for a loop, and you completely lose your head!"

"Grown men should not be able to quote Disney movies as well as you do, Tal."

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><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella. LK thinks <em>no one<em> should be able to quote _Bambi_ that well.  
><strong>


	8. Chapter 8

"I should not be complaining to you about this. I shouldn't. You have better things to do than listen to a girl who's about to be a Freshman in college whine about lost friendships." I swiped angrily at the tears on my face. "It's just, well, I always thought this summer was going to be all about making memories to take with me."

"Rosalie. Shut up," Edward said. "First, you haven't lost Jasper. He's just got his head in the clouds. I don't need to tell you how long he was in love with Alice before she ever took notice of him, do I?"

Snorting, I shook my head. "No, I'm quite aware." I gestured to myself." Friends with both of them, remember?"

"Exactly. So now that he's got the girl - and heaven help us all, they're going to the same college - he's bound to be a little . . . oblivious. Like I said the other day, they're twitterpated. Don't even say that's not a thing," he said, holding up a hand to quiet me again. "It is, and they are it."

"It's not just Jasper, who by the way has had the girl for over a year now," I sighed. "I haven't spoken to Emmett since graduation. Not for nothing, but we were friends before we ever started dating. Suddenly, he gets with his crush of, you know, forever and he stops returning my calls."

"Twitterpated. It's a new relationship. They are in a relationship now, correct?"

"I don't even know. Maybe I should try to call him again," I sniffled. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Why did you come out here?"

"Ah," Edward tapped his nose. "Because you come out here when you want to think about things you don't want to talk to anyone about. I know you've been messed up over how much time Jasper _hasn't_ been spending with you recently." His hand reached to mine and gently squeezed it. "I just want you to know that you have people - other than Jasper or Alice, or even Emmett - who you can talk to."

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><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella. <strong>

**Barburella, who knows what's coming, insists I get back to writing. Review replies will be done in the morning. Mwah!  
><strong>


	9. Chapter 9

_Where, oh where, has my little Skunk gone?_

I rolled my eyes at the text message and ignored it. I wasn't in the mood to deal with him right now, and if he'd even looked outside of the house, he'd have realized it my car was gone and it was raining, which meant I'd driven to work.

"Jess, you have another table. I grabbed them waters when they sat down, but they've been there a few minutes," I snapped at one of the servers. Jessica Stanley was back for the summer, too. Which meant Mike Newton hung out at the bar waiting for her to finish her shifts, distracting her from her customers, and drinking until he couldn't feel feelings any more.

His words, not mine.

The rest of my shift was just ugly.

Typically, people didn't like to come out in the bad weather; at least that's what I thought. This night, though, we were slammed from the time I walked in the door until I locked the doors at 11 p.m. As I was cleaning the menus, there was a knock at the door.

"We're closed," I said without looking up, speaking just loudly enough for the person on the other side to hear me.

The knocking grew more persistent.

"We. Are. Closed," I snapped, finally looking up.

Jasper was smiling at me through the glass. With a heavy sigh, I unlocked the door long enough to let him in. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I come visit any more?" he pouted.

"Of course you can come visit, but don't you know you're supposed to do that during actual business hours?" He followed me to the beverage station where I poured him a soda, much to Jessica's chagrin. "Chill, Jess. Jorge is no where near done in dish."

"So, Jasper. Where's Alice?"

He shifted uncomfortably under my glare. "She's working. I miss you, Skunk," he tried.

"Nuh uh. You know better," I snapped. "I miss you, too," I said after a moment. "Where have you been the last month?"

Hanging his head, he rubbed the back of his neck. "With Alice. Then she had this thing to go to with her dad, so . . . And I was driving by and thought this place might still be open. Want to come by for a movie after you get done here?"

I searched the eyes of my best friend, looking for some indication he was going to abandon plans the minute Alice called him. When I discovered nothing but sincerity there, I smiled. "Sure. I'll come."

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><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella. <strong>

**I know, I know. I'm fail at review replies. They will be done today. I won't post again until they are done.  
><strong>

**Thank you to all of you for sticking with me, even if this story is out of your comfort zone.  
><strong>


	10. Chapter 10

After he'd picked out a movie, Jasper flopped down next to me and put his arm around me while we waited for it to start. Cuddling when we watched movies together was something we'd done since we were six and he tried to make me watch _The Wizard of Oz._

I still didn't like to visit the monkeys at the zoo.

Midway through _Limitless, _Edward came downstairs. I waved then turned my attention back to the movie. A few minutes later, Jasper started tickling me and I kept swatting his hands away. "Stop it," I hissed. "I'm trying to watch this!"

Edward sighed and shifted several times, and I thought I saw him open his mouth to say something a few times, but I tried to ignore it. He groaned loudly, then huffed when Jasper tickled me again.

"Dude, chill out," Jasper said. "You're acting like a jackass." He laughed loudly. "I mean, I'd almost believe you're pissed Rose is snuggling with me and not you with the way you're acting right now."

Edward rolled his eyes and jumped up. "I'm going to bed. I have to be at the pool early to set up for swimming lessons. You two have a _fantastic _night." He stalked to the stairs without looking at either of us.

Jasper snorted. "What the hell is his problem?"

I shrugged. "No idea. Maybe he had a long day or something."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**So I didn't post yesterday because I slept all afternoon. I even missed pulling a beta job for LK.  
><strong>

**If you didn't get a review reply from me, please let me know. I think I got to all of them, but I have no idea. FFn is funny about how they let you reply to reviews now.  
><strong>


	11. Chapter 11

" . . . just don't understand, Esme. Here I am, just short of throwing myself at this girl, and she doesn't even know I exist."

Edward's voice was strained. I stopped just shy of entering the kitchen so I could listen.

"I think she does," Esme said softly.

"Fine. She knows I exist. Whatever." Judging from the sound of his frustration, his hands were running an endless loop through his unruly hair. "She's just . . . You know how you meet someone and you're instantly impressed with something about them?"

I crept closer to the door, and saw Esme nod. Edward continued, "She's brilliant, and cute, and so much fun to be around. I don't know what to do," he whined.

I inhaled sharply and walked into the kitchen, trying desperately to pretend I hadn't just heard what he'd said. "Bye guys," I said calmly. "See you later."

The feeling in the pit of my stomach made me want to throw up. Edward was interested in someone? He hadn't said anything, but that was the kind of thing he usually talked to Jasper about when they both forgot I was in the room, and the brothers were not spending much time together lately.

This _sucked, _for many reasons, not the least of which was I'd started to look forward to seeing Edward. The days - few and far between as they were - when I didn't talk with him, or even catch a glimpse of him darting into the house after a long shift at the pool bothered me.

I turned the idea over and over in my brain. Did I have a crush on Edward Cullen?

Well, yeah.

"Shit, shit, shit," I chanted, walking as noiselessly as possible into my own house and darting up the stairs to my bedroom.

While I went through my nightly routine, I regarded this revelation.

I had a crush on Edward Cullen. And he thought of me as the little sister he never had. Besides, I thought, eyeing myself in the mirror, he'd said the girl he was in to was 'cute'. I snorted. I had never been ashamed to admit I was more than a little vain. I knew I turned heads. Rosalie Hale was not 'cute'.

"What am I going to do about this?" I asked my teddy bear before I collapsed into my bed.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**Up next, why Edward's mom hangs around for family gatherings.  
><strong>


	12. Chapter 12

Before I turned 18, Jasper forgot my birthday exactly once, and though I was angry, I understood why.

It was the summer we turned nine. It was the summer I finally learned why Edward's mom was always around even though she and Carlisle had been divorced for over a decade. And it was the first time I ever saw Jasper cry.

"Why is Edward's mom is coming to the Fourth of July barbecue?" I asked one day in late June.

Jasper and I were hanging out in his tree house, and I had been working up the courage to ask him that question for weeks. It was _weird _for Miss Elizabeth to be around all the time if she wasn't married to Mr. Carlisle any more.

Jasper shrugged his shoulders and went back to reading the book he'd brought with him. "She's friends with my mom and dad. Don't your parents have friends?" he asked, without glancing up.

"Yeah," I nodded, "they do, but didn't Miss Elizabeth used to be married to your dad?"

Jasper nodded. "It was a long time ago."

"And your last name is different than your dad's," I accused. "He's not your real dad!"

Jasper's face grew hard. "He _is _my dad. And Edward is my brother."

"Then I don't understand why your last name is different."

By this time, Jasper's lower lip was trembling. "Charles Evenson died in a car accident when I was a month old. Mom met Dad when I was six months old and they got married a year later. Dad adopted me. Carlisle is the only father I've ever known."

I sat in stunned silence until Jasper tugged one of my pigtails. "Come with me."

He dragged me in to the house, up to his room, and shoved a picture frame in front of my face. "Who is this?" I asked, confused.

"That's me," he said, "and that's my birth father." He pointed to man holding a baby in his arms. "Carlisle didn't have to adopt me. He did it because he loves my mom, and he wanted me to be his son."

"Why do you have Charles's last name?"

"I wanted to keep a part of him, even though Mom said she would have been happy if I changed it, too."

When July 31 arrived and I didn't even get a phone call from Jasper, I flipped out. When I found out _why_ he hadn't called me - my birthday was a month after Jasper's, after all - I forgave him, but for the next eight years, I teasingly gave him daily updates in the week leading up to that day, and he would never forget again.

Or so I thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**You get two today because I feel bad about not updating on Sunday.  
><strong>


	13. Chapter 13

"Fucking hell!" I shouted, slamming the patio door. "Stupid son of a bitch. I can't _believe _him!"

I flung a few pool noodles at the fence and flushed deeply when Edward's head popped up from the other side. "Is that a new way to get my attention, Skunk?"

"Shut the fuck up, Tal. I'm talking about your piece of shit brother."

He held his hands up in surrender. "What did he do this time?"

"He's out with Alice."

"He's usually out with Alice. It's summer. Quite frankly, I'm surprised he has time to eat and take a shit the way he's attached to that girl."

I snorted. "We were supposed to hang out tonight."

"Hang out another night. Alice has to go on the rag sometime, right?"

"It's my birthday, douche bag."

"Oh. Oh, shit. Wow. Brother done fucked up," Edward said, rubbing the back of his neck.

I nodded, tears welling in my eyes.

Edward stood in awkward silence on the other side of the fence for a few minutes. When he sighed, I snapped, "Don't blow a gasket by thinking too hard, Tal."

He rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. "Go change."

"What is wrong with what I'm wearing?" I groused, motioning to my clothes.

"Not nearly casual enough for what we're doing," he shook his head.

"What are we doing?"

"That's for me to know, and you to wonder about until we get there." He tapped his index finger on my nose and smiled widely. "Now go change."

Grumbling, I headed in to the house and ran up the back stairs to my bedroom. He'd said casual, so I threw on a pair of cut offs and a fitted t-shirt. When I walked back out onto the patio five minutes later, I motioned to myself once again. "Am I Tal approved?"

He glanced up and down, motioned a finger for me to twirl around, and after I did, nodded. "That'll do." He waved toward the front of the houses. "Race you to the car," he said with a wicked grin.

The bastard knew I couldn't turn down a challenge. I turned on my heel and took off for the driveway.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**Any thoughts about where they're going?  
><strong>


	14. Chapter 14

"This is a carnival, Edward."

"Astute observation. It is, indeed, a carnival."

Edward parked his car and, dragging me by the wrist to the ticket booth, bought two unlimited ride wrist bands. "What do you want to do first, Skunk? It's your birthday! There are bumper cars, there's the ferris wheel, fried cheese, fried Twinkies, funnel cake, fried Oreos, French fries, ooh and there is the dunk tank!"

I smiled, genuinely relaxed for the first time since Jasper's 'Sry. W/al. Hang tmrw?' text. "Calm down. I think there is plenty of time to do everything. It's barely dusk," I teased. "Let's do the rides first. I don't want to even _think _about what fried Twinkie looks like coming back up_," I tittered._

We went on the bumper cars, the carnival's lame excuse for a roller coaster, and played games on the Midway before we grabbed a funnel cake and sat at one of the tables near the food.

"So you're pretty pissed off at Jasper," Edward said conversationally. "Has he ever done this before? Forgotten your birthday, I mean."

I nodded. "Just the once. When we were nine. I asked him why your mom was always around." I blushed. "I thought it was weird. And then he told me about his dad, and I guess without realizing it I dredged up old memories, and he didn't call me that day."

He was quiet for a few moments, then said, "Let's go. We're going on the ferris wheel."

"No way. I don't do ferris wheels," I said.

"Why on earth not?" he asked sincerely.

"I don't like heights," I admitted quietly.

He grinned widely. "It'll be fine. I'll be there!"

My eyes rolled back, practically into my head. "I'm horrified of heights, Edward," I hissed. "I don't even like sitting in the balcony of a theater."

"I'll even hold your hand," he said, eyes bright with hope.

"Fine," I huffed. "But if you even think about rocking the car we're in, all your testicles are belong to me or however that saying goes."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**LK said in a note in my doc, "Of course she can't fall out if you're there, Edward." I giggled at her.**

**So she's going on the ferris wheel with him. Are we excited?**


	15. Chapter 15

True to his word, Edward held my hand the entire slow, agonizing ride to the top of the ferris wheel. He went on and on about how you could see everything from up there, but I wouldn't have known. My eyes were squeezed tightly shut the entire time only to fly open when he gently pried my fingers out of his.

"Relax Rose." His voice was muffled by the motion of him pulling his sweatshirt over his head. "I just wanted to give this to you." He held it out to me and I stared at him dumbly. "You're shivering, Skunk."

True, I was a little cold, but I didn't want to rock the car by trying to pull the shirt over my head. Instead, I quickly shoved my arms into the sleeves and wrapped them around my waist. Edward rolled his eyes and draped his arm casually around my shoulders.

And then my brain went into overdrive.

This was Edward. This was Jasper's brother, whom I'd known practically all my life and he'd treated me like an annoying little sister the majority of that time. He was present the first time I'd gotten my period, and immature bastard he was at the time, teased me relentlessly for the rest of the year.

But Jasper's brother was hot, and I wasn't above noticing that. He was still smiling widely at me - a smile that lit his entire face and forced me to notice the way the area around his eyes crinkled at the corners. His jaw was strong, his nose was perfect, and even the pronounced brow line that had earned him his nickname was amazing in the dim carnival lighting at the top of the world.

"You're Jasper's brother, you're Jasper's brother, you're Jasper's brother," I chanted under my breath. "Jasper's brother, Jasper's brother, Jasper's brother."

"What on earth are you going on about, Skunk?"

"You're Jasper's brother!" I blurted out.

He threw his head back and laughed, long and loud. "Yeeeessss." He drew out the word. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"I don't know. Everything?"

"Oh Rose," he said, shaking his head at me. "There's nothing wrong with me being related to Jasper. Other than, you know, having to admit it from time to time." He chuckled.

"Why did you bring me here, Tal?"

He reached up with the hand that wasn't wrapped around my shoulders and smiled again, this time tenderly. "I didn't want you to be alone on your birthday."

"But why?" I asked again.

He tilted his head toward mine. "Because, dimwit. I'm twitterpated."

His lips were on mine the next moment.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**We had a several line conversation in my doc about the meaning of twitterpated, including Barburella explaining that she watched Bambi in Hebrew. I'm ever fascinated by Barbi. AND? LK called that twitterpated line adorable.**

Also, I'm still sick. I'm posting this tonight in hopes that I'll wake up to pretty reviews. I know it's entirely possible I will wake up to torches. That's okay, too.


	16. Chapter 16

Edward was kissing me.

Edward was kissing me?

What was strange was . . . I didn't hate it, or think of it in an 'Ew-he's-like-my-brother' way.

I actually kind of _liked_ it.

His lips were strong against mine, but not crushing. When he started sucking gently on my lower lip, I finally woke up enough to kiss him back. Drawing his upper lip between mine, we kissed like that until the ride started moving again.

He leaned away from me with a lazy smile on his face, twirling a piece of my hair with the hand that rested on my shoulder.

I took a few deep, calming breaths, and looked him in the eye. "What was that?"

"A kiss. Wow, you really are blonde."

"Shut up." I swatted his arm playfully.

Okay . . . who was I? Was I flirting with Tal? _That _was kind of gross to me.

"I know what it was," I snapped. "What I mean is, why?"

Rolling his eyes, he sat up a little straighter in his seat. "Skunk," he started, then shook his head. "Rosalie. You asked me why I've been hanging around this summer, right?"

"Well, yes. It is rather unusual for you to stay at home for extended periods of time rather than with your friends who still have apartments in Newark."

"It's because of you," he admitted softly, staring at the hand that was resting in his lap. "I like you. A lot."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**I'm so glad you all like these two together! The reviews were amazing. Expect replies to them this evening. :)**


	17. Chapter 17

After the carnival - which Edward informed me, "totally counted as a first date!" - we actually didn't see each other for nearly a week. So we didn't have a chance to actually talk about what all of the gestures and the kissing meant.

I mean, were we a couple? Were we dating? Were we going to out ourselves to our families or just let them find out naturally? And most importantly, would I confront him about the snippet of conversation I'd heard between him and Esme?

I came home from work one night to several IMs.

BluebellEd (4:01 p.m.): Skunk, you there?

BluebellEd (4:05 p.m.): Aw, shit. You're at work. Fine, I'll text you.

BluebellEd (10:30 p.m.): Nah's coming tomorrow and I really wanted to talk to you before then. Please.

I'd also received several texts, but we were so busy that night at the restaurant I hadn't been able to answer them.

_The fuck Skunk? I need to talk to you.  
><em>  
><em>You're probably busy. If you don't get home after midnight, call me. I'll be up.<em>

I got home around one in the morning, so I didn't call him. The next day, one of his brothers arrived to stay for the weekend, and I didn't want to interrupt their time together, so I sent him a quick IM to let him know I'd received his messages.

StinkingRose (11:35 a.m.): Wanted you to know I got your IMs and texts. Sorry I didn't call. See you after Nahuel leaves... or before, if you want.

He hadn't posted on my Facebook wall, but he had been poking me for the better part of a week. "He's such a child," I muttered to myself, but not before I giggled and poked him back, even though I was annoyed I couldn't see him.

Well.

I could _see_ him. He, Nahuel, and a couple of their other fraternity brothers were gathered around the Cullens' pool, knocking back a few beers, and generally being guys.

Disgusting.

A brief - possibly a little evil - thought crossed my mind. I could always go out and lay by _my_ pool. In the tiniest bikini I owned.

I thought about calling Alice and a few other girls from school to hang out, then shook it off as a stupid idea. I had to work in a couple of hours anyway.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella. B is helping me plot evil things. The kind of things likely to make poor LK reach for that blessed bukkit she keeps going on about.<br>**


	18. Chapter 18

Four days after Nahuel had gone home - this time, all the way home to South America to visit his family - I still hadn't gotten a chance to talk with Edward. I was starting to develop a complex.

Jasper had apologized profusely over missing my birthday. Apparently Alice planned some big, elaborate, romantic dinner for them that night, and he'd just lost his mind. The minute he realized it (or the minute Edward told him he'd missed the day and punched Jasper so hard he had a black eye for the next week), he'd called and texted until I finally answered him.

He was totally on friend probation.

We were hanging out together one afternoon, by the pool as usual, when I heard the obvious sound of a lawn mower starting up. The next moment, a shirtless Edward came around the side of the house. I watched as the muscles in his forearms moved and flexed beneath his smooth, tanned skin.

"Rosie, I think you have a little drool," Jasper laughed, pointing to my face. "Right there." He touched the corner of my mouth.

"Yeah, sure I do, Jasper. He's your brother for crying out loud." I made a big show of cringing, but internally, war raged on.

We had to talk, and soon. Otherwise, I was going to go nuts.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<br>**


	19. Chapter 19

I sat on a sofa in the basement of Edward's house (funny how, in recent days, I'd come to think of it as Edward's, not Jasper's) with my legs curled under me.

The stars had aligned, thank goodness. Jasper was out with Alice, and Carlisle and Esme had gone to visit her family for the weekend. Edward and I finally got a chance to talk.

Not that that's what he was doing. He sat down next to me, and immediately his warm palm was on the back of my neck, pulling my head toward his. I allowed him a quick kiss before pushing him away. "Edward. We need to talk."

His eyes twinkled. "But this is so much more fun." He started to pull my mouth toward his again but with my hands resting firmly on his chest, he figured out quickly that he wasn't getting any part of me - mouth or otherwise - until we actually discussed what had happened on my birthday.

"Tal, come on," I said gently. "Let's talk. Then we can do the fun stuff, okay?"

"I am all for the fun stuff," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at me. When I remained serious instead of laughing at him, he shook his head and went into what his family lovingly called his "serious business" mode. "What do you want to talk about?"

I snorted. "My birthday, for one. I mean, you drag me on the ferris wheel and then you kiss me, basically out of nowhere. I overheard you talking with Esme about a girl and now you like me?"

He groaned, his head resting on the back of the couch. "I never believed in stereotypes until I met you, Skunk. I was talking about you. And why in hell were you eavesdropping anyway?"

"Moot point," I waived a hand in the air. "You couldn't have been talking about me. You said 'cute.' I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kind of a knockout."

He laughed, loud and long. "One point to Rosalie Hale. You are a knockout," he said tenderly, picking up my hand and kissing each of my fingertips. "But," he said, kissing the inside of my wrist, "you are also the other things I said. Brilliant," he kissed my palm. "And _so _much fun."

I inhaled sharply. "Well," I asked, pushing him away a little so I could breathe properly, "don't you think you're rushing this? You kissed me exactly one time on my birthday. I had no way of knowing whether that was real, despite you telling me you liked me. Now you're practically mauling me where I sit. Isn't there a rule book you guys go by or something?"

"Yes," he said. "Rule number one: Kiss the girl you're infatuated with as often as possible, until she's weak in the knees and she doesn't know what's hit her."

What was this, the 1800s? Infatuated? I rolled my eyes and placed a kiss on his cheek. "I take things a bit slower."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**I promise review replies will be done. Tomorrow, when I don't have the same ick as the rest of the people in my house. I'm the only one living here who has female parts. Guess who gets to rest. (Hint: not me.) Thanks for your patience!  
><strong>


	20. Chapter 20

After I asked him to take it slow, Edward readily agreed. We didn't say anything to our families, though Jasper, Esme, and my parents noticed Edward and I were spending a lot more time together over the passing weeks.

One afternoon when everyone was gone, Edward came over and we started to watch a movie in my living room. He lasted about twenty minutes before he started kissing the back of my neck and my exposed shoulders. There was a bit of scruff on his chin and cheeks, and it tickled. When I giggled, I felt him smile against my shoulder and whisper, "What's so funny?"

"That tickles," I said, turning to face him. I smiled at him. "Please, continue."

He leaned down to kiss my neck again. "No way," I smirked. "My lips are up here." I pointed, and he obliged me by pressing his lips to mine. His tongue gently swept my bottom lip, and I sighed happily when it tentatively touched mine.

It was always like this at first. He was slow - almost cautious - like he was afraid I'd push him away at any moment. One hand was tangled in my hair and the other ran up and down my side, stopping just short of my breasts. This time, I did push him away. "Edward, what the hell?"

"You told me you wanted to take things slow." He kissed the spot just behind my ear.

I shivered and grabbed the hand resting on my side. "There's such a thing as _too_ slow," I muttered, pressing his hand to my breast.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**Bit of a time jump. She has been making him work for it, though, for those of you who were concerned.  
><strong>


	21. Chapter 21

"Rosie, we're home." My mom's voice startled me. Edward and I jumped to opposite ends the couch just before my parents walked into the living room.

"Oh, hey Edward."

"Afternoon, Scott."

I nearly choked on the water I'd just taken a sip of when I saw Edward discreetly trying to readjust himself.

"Hi Daddy. How was your shopping trip?"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Oh, you know. Just another one of your mother's epic goose chases for some antique."

Mom swatted him on the arm. "Don't you tease me, Mister. What are you two up to?" she asked me.

"Just watching a movie," I said.

Mom hummed. "Okay then. Staying for dinner Edward?"

"If you're inviting me, sure." He smiled.

"I'm going to go work on that, then," she said as she walked toward the kitchen. "By the way, Rosalie?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"You missed a few buttons."

"What?" I sputtered.

"Your shirt. You missed a few buttons." She smiled over her shoulder at me and disappeared through the door.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>


	22. Chapter 22

"So you and Edward?" Dad and I were sitting at the kitchen table, working on a puzzle when he startled me out of my thoughts.

"What?"

Dad laughed. "You and Edward. How long have you been together?

I blushed, which was so uncharacteristic of me. "We started spending more time together on my birthday. That's . . . uh, that's the first time he kissed me."

He smiled and ruffled my hair. "That's okay, kid. You're a big girl. Do you like him?"

"Yeah," I said shyly. "Yeah, I do. A lot."

"Good. I'm happy for you."

Later, when Edward and I spoke on the phone, I told him, "So my parents definitely know we're a thing."

"What do you mean 'we're a thing?'"

"We're a thing. We're dating or whatever. Aren't we?"

"We've never talked about that." My heart sank. He continued, "Your birthday was a quality first date, but you haven't let me take you out since then. I don't know if one date qualifies us as dating. Maybe we're a whatever right now?"

"Tal, I don't want to be whatever to you. I want us to acknowledge _something_."

"So, we acknowledge something. You define us, Skunk. I'm going at your pace here." I could hear the smile in his voice.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

Officially, we were dating. I wouldn't let him call me his girlfriend, because I was stubborn that way. But Heaven help us all if I caught him so much as smiling at another girl.

It happened once, it got ugly, and he quickly learned his lesson. Rosalie Hale was a little - okay, a lot - territorial.

A month after my birthday, Jasper kind-of-sort-of-maybe-not-as-accidentally-as-Edward-thought discovered Edward and I were together when he caught us making out in the pool.

I was wearing a bathing suit I knew would make Edward drool, so when I coaxed him into the pool with the promise of kisses, he'd literally jumped at the chance. When Jasper got home five minutes later, I pretended I hadn't gotten the text he sent about being home shortly when he started flipping out. The thing was, I wanted Jasper to know, but I was too chicken shit to tell him outright.

I know.

Later that evening, when Edward visited me at the restaurant, he was all raised eyebrows and blushing smiles. Apparently he'd caught a rash of shit from Jasper. His brother was under the impression he couldn't date me because I was Jasper's best friend. It hadn't come to blows this time, but Jasper did threaten Edward with bodily harm and eventually death if he ever hurt me.

Not gonna lie, it was nice to know I still had Jasper in my corner.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>


	24. Chapter 24

"Great. We'll see you at 3:30," I said before hanging up the phone.

Emmett had finally called me. Edward and I (though he didn't know it yet) were headed out on an awkward double date with Emmett and Tyler the following afternoon.

Edward was normally calm to a fault, and certainly one of the most level headed people I'd ever known. When I told him we were going out with Emmett and Tyler, though, he kind of flipped his lid.

It was ridiculously hot.

It was very lucky no one was home when I told him, because the minute he growled about going, I may or may not have attacked him. You know, grabbed him by the collar to pull his mouth to mine, bruising his lips when I kissed him as hard as I could.

He had no idea what hit him when I started untying his board shorts. I'm pretty sure his eyes rolled back in his head as I pushed him back onto my bed and, with absolutely no fanfare, wrapped my mouth around him.

Though rumors at school said I was often on my knees for Emmett, that wasn't quite the truth. The few times he'd let me go down on him had ended in disaster, with him insisting there was nothing wrong with sucking at sucking him off. Needless to say, the only thing wrong with my technique was my lack of matching parts, as I'd discovered at prom.

I knew it would never come up in casual conversation, but judging from the sounds Edward was making, I was actually rather talented. I wrapped a hand around the shaft and licked under and around the head. He groaned and threaded his fingers through my hair, not pushing (as Emmett had), but guiding. He let me set the pace, and ladies and gents, I tormented him.

For twenty minutes, I brought him as close to the brink as I thought I could. I received not one, but two, courtesy taps. When they happened, I backed off, slowing down and using less pressure until he was ready for me to work him into a frenzy again.

When he grunted out for the last time, "Rose, I'm gonna . . ." I gave one final lick and finished him with my hand because, ew. Anyone who says spunk tastes good is lying through their unsanitary teeth.

"Skunk," he panted, "that was . . ."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to LyricalKris &amp; Barburella.<strong>

**If you don't like where I ended this, blame Barburella. She made me!  
><strong>


	25. Chapter 25

Looking in the mirror, I smiled and adjusted my top. It was far tighter than I was used to wearing, and I'd popped a few buttons for effect.

I took a deep breath and snapped a photo with my cell phone, immediately texting it to Edward. "There's more where this came from if you're good today," I captioned it.

When he picked me up five minutes later, he shook my father's hand and swallowed thickly. "Ready, Skunk?"

I grinned up at him through my eyelashes. "Sure am."

"You're going out with Emmett?" Mom asked.

"Yes. And Tyler." My mom was well aware of what had gone down - literally - at prom.

"That won't be awkward or anything." Dad snorted. "You two have fun."

"We will." I winked at Edward when Dad turned his back. "Later guys."

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to my girls. :)<br>**


	26. Chapter 26

Emmett and Tyler were already seated in a corner booth when we arrived at the restaurant. Judging by how closely they were sitting together, and the smile on Tyler's face, Emmett was getting handsy.

"Hey, hands where I can see them," I said. They both jumped.

"Hey Rose." Tyler's voice cracked slightly and his face was red as a tomato. He'd clearly been enjoying whatever Emmett had been doing. I also knew he was slightly uncomfortable with having 'stolen Emmett' from me.

It was water under the bridge as far as I was concerned.

Emmett and Edward eyed each other uncomfortably. When I'd made the joint lunch date with Emmett, I'd filled him in on the new found relationship status Edward and I had. He hadn't been surprised. As a matter of fact, he'd muttered "Fucking finally," and continued on like the conversation had never even happened.

What the hell did he know that I didn't?

Whatever; didn't matter.

"Hi Tyler," I said politely as Edward and I sat.

For a while, we talked about what we wanted to order and made general small talk. After confirming what we were eating with the waiter, I excused myself to the restroom.

Glad to see it was a one person room, I locked the door behind me and pulled my cell phone out of my purse. Just before Edward picked me up was the first time I'd done this sort of thing, so I giggled nervously as I turned around, lifted my skirt, and took a picture of my ass. It was pretty much on full display; I was wearing a lace thong.

I sent it to Edward before I could second guess myself, took care of my business, and went back to the table.

Edward's hands were in his lap, and I caught him peaking at the screen of his phone. When the tips of his ears turned red, I knew he'd seen the photo. Seconds later, my phone buzzed.

_Stop. It._

**Stop what?**

_You know what. I'm so hard I don't think I can think straight._

**Pity. I thought you didn't swing Em's way?**

_I don't. Stop it Skunk. Please. I'm begging. _

**That didn't take long. ;)**

The rest of lunch was uncomfortable at best. Emmett and Tyler tried their hardest not to be _too_affectionate, but they failed miserably. Edward put his hand on my thigh and slid it up under my skirt, teasing the crease where my leg met my pelvis. I squirmed and grabbed his leg in return. After that, he quit with the torment, but it made me realize something.

I really hoped we'd be alone when we got home.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to my girls. :)<strong>

**Review replies? What are those? I know I'm fail. Sorry!  
><strong>

**Oh. As of now, this rounds out at about 35 chapters, and one outtake that mycrookedsmile has been pestering me about since chapter three. [I wish I were joking. I'm not. I also may or may not have started writing said outtake last night.]  
><strong>


	27. Chapter 27

"Edward," I said softly once we were back in the car. "I have to tell you something."

He threaded his fingers through mine and smiled. "What's up?"

"I, uh . . . "

How to explain this to him without sounding like a girl who'd just graduated from high school?

"Come on, Skunk. You can tell me anything. You know that."

"Contrary to popular belief . . . I'm not quite as experienced as people say I am."

He threw back his head and laughed. When I huffed and turned to face the window, he called my name. "Rose. Hey, Rosalie. I didn't mean to laugh at you."

"Funny way of showing it." I snatched my hand away from him and folded my arms across my chest.

He rested his hand on the hand on the back of my neck. "Rosalie. please look at me." I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and he continued, "Baby, I'm sorry."

The rest of the ride was silent. When we pulled up to my house, I jumped out of the car right away, refusing to wait for him to open my door.

He sighed. "Skunk, wait," he said when I headed toward my house.

I froze in place. Yeah, he'd hurt me by laughing, but didn't I owe it to him to listen to what he had to say? Probably not, but I'd do it anyway.

He took a step closer to me and cradled my face in his hands. Leaning in, he kissed me gently on the forehead, nose, and lips, then pulled me close to his body, resting his chin on my head. "I'm sorry," he said again.

I nodded wordlessly against his chest, and he led me to my door. After I'd let us into the house, he pressed me against the wall and kissed me, deep and long. I let out a desperate whimper, fisting his shirt in my hands and wrapping a leg around his knees.

Slowly, he led me to my bedroom. He smiled down at me, and I heard the lock click. Taking a deep breath, I stepped toward him and, one by one, undid the buttons on his shirt and slid it over his shoulders. He smirked as he removed my top. "Not many buttons for me to mess with," he observed. I blushed from head to toe.

We undressed quietly, with small kisses on newly exposed flesh. When we were both completely nude, he pushed me gently onto the bed and grinned wickedly at me, settling on his knees and pressing open mouthed kisses just inside my knees.

It was agonizing, how slowly he made his way up my body, but the moment he put his mouth where I wanted it, I groaned and arched off of the bed. For many minutes, the room was quiet except for my gasps and his deep moans as he feasted on my body. His fingers and tongue worked on and in me and soon, I couldn't hold back - not that I wanted to. Stars exploded behind my closed eyelids, and his name was like a prayer on my lips.

He worked his way up, then, kissing, licking, and nipping as he went. When he got close enough, I pulled his face to mine, kissed him once on the lips, and nodded.

I was ready for this.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to my girls. :)<strong>

**I think I nearly choked to death [I've still got an amazing awful cough] when I read a note LK had left in the doc. "nom nom nom... this is gross."**

**Please send good thoughts in the general direction of Barburella.  
><strong>


	28. Chapter 28

"You're shaking," he whispered.

True, but I still snorted.

His hands, warm and gentle, ran from my hip up to my neck. Wrapping his left hand around the back of my neck, he kissed me and rubbed his nose against mine. "Relax, Skunk." Shivering, I nodded.

I felt him against me, then, poised to join his body with me and I squeezed my eyes shut. He tapped a finger against my nose. "Open your eyes, please," he pleaded. "Are you sure you want this?"

I nodded. "More than anything."

He took a deep, shuddering breath, then reached between us and gently pressed into me. I gasped at the stretch, but there was none of the pain I'd heard girls at school talking about. It was just . . . intense.

When his hips rested against mine, he smiled, big and bright, at me. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," I giggled.

"Skunk . . . Ah, fuck. Rose, I love you," he said. "I know this is like, the worst time to say it, but I do, and I just had to get it out there. And now I feel -" I put my hand over his mouth to quiet him.

"I love you, too, Tal."

He began to move with strong and steady strokes. My fingers dug into his back, nails scraping his shoulder blades. When he moved more erratically, I knew he was close to the edge, so I grabbed the back of his head and pulled his face to mine.

The groan accompanying his climax was muffled by my mouth on his, then by my neck as he buried his face in the spot where it met my shoulder.

Later, after we'd cleaned up, we lay on my bed hand in hand. It was the first time I gave in to talk about the future, and what might happen when we went to separate colleges in a few months.

He pulled my hand to his mouth and, kissing the back of it said, "We can do this, Rose. I know we can."

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><p><strong>Thank you to my girls. :)<strong>


	29. Outtake 1

**This one is for mycrookedsmile. She's been pestering me since chapter 3 for this outtake, and I couldn't deny her.**

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><p>"Dude," Tyler said.<p>

"Dude," I agreed.

After a few moments, he turned to me and asked, "So you think the punch is spiked after all?"

I raised an eyebrow at him and laughed. "Uh, yes." I knocked back the rest of the red concoction in my cup and ladled another.

Tyler rocked back and forth on his heels and watched Rose dance with Lauren, who was looking pretty green, actually. Guess she'd had too much of the punch already.

"Rose is pretty fucking hot."

"Uh, yes." I repeated. "She's here with me after all."

"No, I mean she's smoking hot. Like, you two are the sexiest mother fuckers I've ever seen."

I shrugged. "You and Lo are pretty hot, too," I slurred.

I was way too drunk already, and the three cups of punch I'd chugged since we'd been standing here weren't helping. I poured another one anyway. "Especially you," I muttered under my breath.

Tyler burped loudly. "What did you say?"

"I said, you're hot. I bet you'd suck a mean cock," I said, almost as an afterthought.

"What the actual fuck?" he snapped. "What the fuck makes you say that?"

I smirked. "You have beautiful DSL, Tyler."

"The hell?"

"Dick. Sucking. Lips. You have amazing lips."

He appeared to be in deep thought then said, "Yeah. I bet I could suck a mean cock. Better than you, anyway."

"You're an idiot. I bet I could get you off faster than you could get me off."

"No way," he said. "I could get you off in five minutes," he snapped.

"I could do it in three."

"Let's go." He motioned toward the locker rooms. "Let's do this. Right here, right now."

I considered it as long as my alcohol laced brain would let me. "Alright. Let's go." I cracked my neck. "I'm down for it."

Ten minutes later, my pants were around my ankles in the girls' bathroom, and Tyler was going to town on me. Not even going to lie, it was a million times better than Rose. Probably because Tyler knew what felt good on him, so that translated to me. Right? Because there way no way in hell I was gay.

Or was I?

For the record, it took him four and a half minutes to get me hard, and get me off. "Pretty good," I said, tucking my dick back into my pants. Clapping my hands, I spun him around and slammed him against the wall.

"You liked sucking my cock, didn't you?" I asked, palming him and undoing his pants.

"Fuck," he groaned. "Yeah, I liked it."

Pulling his dick out of his pants, I swallowed thickly and gingerly swept my tongue across the tip. Thinking about the things that felt good when girls went down on me, I imitated them. I licked and sucked. I swallowed around the head when it hit the back of my throat.

Just as Tyler was coming down my throat, the door banged open, and I heard a gasp. I didn't care. "What the actual fuck? Well that explains a lot," Rose said, laughing.

Standing up, I pulled Tyler in to kiss him. It felt amazing, and then I knew.

No more pussy for Emmett McCarty. Ever.

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><p><strong>Be gentle. It's my first time writing slash.<strong>


	30. Chapter 30

"Mom, have you seen the thing with the stuff on it?" I called down the stairs, groaning immediately. Of course she had no idea what I was talking about. _I_ barely knew what I was talking about.

"Do you mean this?" she asked from my doorway, stepping aside to reveal a sheepish looking Jasper.

I choked on the sip of water I'd just taken. "I'd nearly forgotten you existed, Jasper," I snarked.

His long hair fell into his eyes when his head slumped forward. "Sorry, Ro. I know I've been a shit friend lately."

Mom snorted and muttered something under her breath. "I'll just leave you two to talk then," she said as she headed back down to the kitchen. "Oh, and your laptop case is in the living room."

Jasper sat on my bed, looking dejected. "Stop being a sad sack, Jasper." I punched him in the arm. "What's up?"

He threw a pillow at me. "I wanted to see if you want to hang out later. That's all."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I was kind of supposed to hang out with Tal," I said with a shrug. "But since you ditched me all summer to hang out with Alice, I guess I can ditch him for an afternoon."

"I really hate sharing you with my brother."

"Not my fault you threw us together by spending all your time with Little Bit," I said, dramatically flopping onto my bed beside him.

"I did not . . . Fuck, I did, didn't I?"

"Mmhm."

"Why, though? Why did it have to be Edward? Why not Emmett?"

I snorted. "You have been living under a rock, haven't you? Emmett is with Tyler now."

"That wasn't just some pre-college experimentation?"

"Judging by how handsy they were when Tal and I had lunch with them? No. Not experimentation."

Jasper picked up a piece of my hair and twirled it between his fingers. After a few seconds, I swatted his hand away and he laughed. "I've missed you, Ro."

"I've missed you, too,"I told him. "A lot. But you have to know . . . I'm happy with Tal. Like, really happy. I didn't know it was possible to be this happy," I smiled.

He grinned back. "It's ridiculous, isn't it? How happy another person can make you?"

"It is," I nodded. "So what are we doing later?"

"I was thinking dinner and a movie?"

"No way. I can do that with Edward. I want to do something that belongs to us," I said. "Let's go . . . jump off the pier at the lake. Edward's too scared to do it," I laughed.

"No he's not. He's terrified you'll get hurt," Jasper said. "He always hated it when we did that."

"Oh, then we are _definitely_ doing it. Pick me up at three."

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><p><strong>Thank you to my girls, and to you wonderful reviewers. <strong>


	31. Chapter 31

"Hey, it's Edward. Leave a message at the beep."

I groaned. It had been a week since I'd actually spoken to Edward. I was sick of talking to his voicemail. "Tag, you're it, Tal. Look, I'm sick of talking to your phone instead of you. I miss your voice. I know you're busy with that huge project, but please call me back tonight. I don't care what time it is. My roommate can go fuck herself if she bitches because the phone wakes her up."

No one ever said being at separate colleges was easy, right? Edward had even told me how worried he was that we wouldn't get to see or talk to each other often enough, and I'd run off with the first guy who showed me a little bit of attention. Of course, he'd also been the one to tell me we could definitely get through the separation.

My phone rang around one in the morning, waking me from a deep, dreamless sleep. When my roommate glared at me, I flipped her the bird and headed into the hall to answer.

"Hey Skunk. I miss you." His voice betrayed the exhaustion he must be feeling.

"I miss you, too, Tal. How's your project?"

"Done, thankfully. Last one before I graduate, so there's that. I can't wait for this semester to be over."

"Me, too," I admitted softly. "I can't wait to see you."

I could practically hear the smile on his face. "A whole summer with nothing to do but spend time with you and look for a job. How is prep for finals going?"

"It's going," I muttered. "My roommate is not thrilled with my study groups coming to the room to meet with me. She's horrid, and I'm glad I don't have to live with her again next year."

"Kate's not _so_ bad," he laughed. "Okay, Kate is that bad. I remember her glaring at me when you left me alone in the room to go to class. She did it for an hour straight. It was absolutely ridiculous."

"I'm so getting a single next year."

"So what are the plans for this summer? Besides letting me kiss you whenever I want. No complaining," he cut off my protest. "I've gone too damn long without touching you. You can at least concede to kissing whenever I want."

The grin I wore made my cheeks hurt. "I suppose I can allow that. I have no idea what the plans are. I want to take an online course if I can. I just don't know whether the professor will let me do it."

"Can't hurt to ask," he said.

We chatted for a few more minutes, until he was yawning with every other word. "Get some sleep, Tal. I'll see you soon," I said softly.

"Love you," he yawned. "See you next week."

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><p><strong>Thank you to my girls, and to you wonderful reviewers. <strong>

**LyricalKris said, "I saw nothing wrong with this one... except the pairing." ILY, Jerk. :P  
><strong>


	32. Chapter 32

I rushed to wipe the tears from my face when Mom walked into my room. "What's wrong, Rosie?"

"It's nothing," I sniffed. She raised her eyebrow at me in the way only a mother can and waited patiently for me to tell her the truth. "Tal and I broke up last night," I finally admitted.

"Oh honey." She sat next to me on the bed, smoothing my hair and pulling my head to her shoulder. "What happened?"

"I said some pretty awful things to him, and he told me he was done. Like done, done." It wasn't the first time we'd fought - and Mom knew that - but it was the first time he'd been serious about breaking up with me. Before, he'd always called me five minutes later, apologizing for the stupid things I'd said, which didn't really make any sense, but that was my Tal.

"What did you say?"

I blew my nose, and shook my head. "Not ready to relive that."

"Okay." She gave me a hug and stood up. "I'm here when you're ready to talk about it, you know."

"I know."

I fell into a fitful sleep that night. When the sun streaked through my window and woke me the next morning, I glared at it. I rolled over to get out of bed and ran smack into Edward's back. "The hell? Tal, why are you here?" My voice was scratchy from all the crying I'd done the day before. "I thought you were done with me."

He rolled from his side onto his back and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Propped up on my elbow, I couldn't help but smile despite my anger at finding him in my bed. "Does my dad know you're here?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"He was the one who let me in last night."

"Why are you here?" I asked again.

"Don't be like that, Skunk. I came to apologize. When I saw you were asleep, I couldn't wake you." He reached up and ran the pad of his index finger under my eyes. "You look like shit, by the way."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well. You would, too, if you'd spent a day and a half crying."

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have gotten so mad. You were right. I do need to find a better job than lifeguarding. I want to . . . Rose, I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he admitted, "and I can't do that if I'm spending the summer fucking around at a pool. I should find a real job. It's just . . . " he trailed off.

Wrapping an arm around his waist and laying my head on his shoulder, I asked, "Just what?"

He pushed a breath out in a huff. "It's just, I wanted one more carefree summer. One more summer to goof off with you and Jasper and Little Bit before I have to exist in the big, bad, real world. Finding a "real job" would mean more time away from you. I don't want that." He kissed the top of my head.

I turned my face to his and pressed a kiss on his chin. "I don't, either. But you know," I snorted, "I'm not getting married while I'm still in school. So don't go planning some big proposal yet."

He snickered. "Oh, I won't. I'm not ready to ask that question yet. And I sure as shit want to have more to offer when I talk to Scott about it."

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><p><strong>Thank you to my girls, and to you wonderful reviewers. <strong>


	33. Chapter 33

I rolled my eyes in Edward's direction and mouthed, "She's crazy," behind Alice's back. She was currently trying to talk me into wearing hot pink high heeled shoes. I understood it was her wedding and all, but just because neon colors were 'in' this season didn't mean I wanted to wear them with the amazing black dress she'd picked out for me as her maid of honor.

To his credit, Tal didn't laugh out loud. He did, however, barely conceal his laughter behind his pocket square.

"Fine," Alice huffed. "Wear the boring black shoes you picked out."

"Alice," I said, sighing, "not one of those people downstairs will be looking at my feet in fifteen minutes. Their eyes are going to be glued on you, and you, lady, look stunning."

"She's right," Edward said. "Jasper's probably going to choke and die at the altar."

Alice's eyes grew wide. "Don't joke about that, Edward."

Tilting my head to the side, I said, "Nope, I'm too pretty."

"Huh?" Edward looked confused

"I'm too pretty to go to prison for murdering you. I'd be someone's bitch in about five minutes. No." I turned to Alice. "Let's get you married to the love of your life."

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><p><strong>Thank you to my girls, and to you wonderful reviewers. <strong>

**There are three more chapters. Should I post them today?  
><strong>


	34. Chapter 34

"Jasper," I whined, "I don't want to come home this weekend."

I had been living near the grad school I was attending for the last two years and rarely made it back home.

"Please, Rose? Alice is dying to see you, and you know she can't leave home right now."

"Evil man, pulling the pregnant wife card. Fine, when should I arrive?"

Jasper's voice was triumphant. "Can you get here by quarter of four on Friday?"

"That's awfully specific."

"It is, but I promise there's a good reason."

At 3:30 on Friday afternoon, I was stuck in traffic half an hour away from my house. I picked up my cell and quickly dialed Jasper. "Hey, there is no way I'm going to be there at 3:45. Traffic is a bitch today."

I thought I heard him mutter 'shit' before he said, "Okay, so you won't be here at 3:45."

"That's what I said." He was acting weird, but maybe Alice's pregnancy hormones were rubbing off on him.

"Can you call when you're about five minutes away?"

"Sure."

When I finally arrived at the house over an hour later, it looked deserted. "What the hell, Jasper?" I called him again. "What was the point in me calling when I was five minutes away? Where are you?"

"We're around back, goof."

I dropped everything in my hands when I walked around the side of the house.

Edward was there, along with my parents, his parents, Jasper, and Alice. It had been weeks since I'd seen him because he'd been traveling for work. Without thinking, I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck. "I can't believe you're here, Tal."

I felt his smile against my neck. "I'm home." He pushed away from me slightly and reached a hand toward Jasper. "Skunk . . ."

"Rose, I've been meaning to ask you this question for a while," he said with a grin. "I talked with your dad," he got down on one knee in front of me.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

"And since he said yes, I'm kind of hoping you'll do the same." He reached for my hand, and slid a ring onto my finger. "Please, Rosalie. Tell me you'll marry me. I can't imagine my life without you."

Alice burst into tears, and I started laughing. "Of course, you silly idiot. Of course I'll marry you. Yes."

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><p><strong>Thank you to my girls, and to you wonderful reviewers. <strong>


	35. Chapter 35

"With this ring, I thee wed," I said after Reverend Webber.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur. I felt like I was floating, and nothing could take that particular high away from me.

It wasn't until I was dancing with my _husband_ later that I took a deep breath and looked around. "We really did this, didn't we?"

He threw his head back and laughed. Brushing a stray piece of hair out of my face, he smiled at me tenderly. "We did. I love you, Skunk."

"I love you, Tal. Always."

The reception was fun, but I was definitely looking forward to the honeymoon. Two weeks of nothing but relaxing on the beach with Edward.

Well.

Not nothing but relaxing.

Edward chose that moment to smirk at me. It was almost as though he could read my thoughts. "I can't wait to get you out of this dress tonight," he said with a devious grin.

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><p><strong>One more to go.<br>**


	36. Chapter 36

"Tal, you need to get your child before I tear him limb from limb." I was exhausted, and very pregnant with our second child.

She was due to arrive in three days; I was more than ready for it.

"Come on, bud. Let's let Mama rest for a bit," Edward said, scooping Jonathan up and carrying him away like a football.

Jon was three and more than a handful. He was mouthy, and a charmer, just like his father.

Little Sofia Grace would arrive to a house full of love and laughter. And maybe a little more yelling than was strictly necessary, but after three years of being horrifyingly outnumbered in my own home, it may have been more necessary than one assumed.

Later that evening, after Jon went to bed, Edward brought me a glass of water and rubbed my feet. "Did you ever think we'd end up this way?" he asked.

"What way?"

"Happily married. One beautiful boy. A sweet girl on the way."

"No," I said honestly. "You didn't like me very much at first, Tal."

"What, when you were five?"

"Yes."

"You were a very annoying five year old, Skunk."

"And you were a snobby eleven year old."

"When did you know you loved me?" he asked after several moments of silence.

I thought for a minute. "At my eighth birthday party. You smashed cake in Jasper's face because he told me _Bambi_ was a stupid movie."

Running a hand along my swollen stomach, he kissed the top of my head. "I was a goner the moment you stalked up to Jasper and me and said, 'I'm Rose. I'm five and I live next door. I've decided we're going to be friends.' Then you just stalked off, and that was that."

I cupped his cheek in my palm and smiled. "I was right."

"Yes," he kissed me softly, "you were."

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><p><strong>This is the part where I get to be sappy, right?<strong>

**This wouldn't have been possible without LyricalKris and Barburella. They've been my cheerleaders since _last year_ when I first started this story in a gdoc. I'm not kidding, not even a little bit. I know, LK, this pairing hurt your heart. Thank you for sticking with me.**

**mycrookedsmile, who begged me to toe a line I never thought I'd cross. **

**Everyone who reviewed, PM'd me, tweeted about this, etc. You guys, I'm so flattered. Honestly.  
><strong>

**And to _you_, who thought you'd never be able to read this as a pairing, but stuck with me throughout. I'm so grateful you stuck with me.**

**I'm marking this complete, but that doesn't mean I won't write a few outtakes. If you ask nicely enough. ;)  
><strong>


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